Poison Allure
by xKuroSeraphimx
Summary: ((AU Darkfic))It started out with a kiss, which led to something more. How did it end up like this? But when she soon find out what he was, she ran, but she'll soon find out that the Wicked never lets what is his get away. Ever. AlbelNel
1. Prologue

**Authoress Notes: **Well now! Never expected this, eh? Now, this is my first SO3 fic, so please be nice, since this is also AU, and I'll try to do my best for any person who would like this. Not to mention that there will be OOC-ness. Please enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own SO3. It belongs to SquareEnix/Tri-Ace/Ubi-Soft.

**Pairings: AlbelxNel**, FaytxSophia, CliffxMirage, and others, if you want.

**Plot/Summary: **

((AU Darkfic)) It started out with a kiss, which led to something more. How did it end up like this? But when she found out what he really was, she ran, but she'll soon find out that the Wicked never lets what is his get away. Ever. AlbelNel

**Poison Allure**

**By: xKuroSeraphimx**

**((start prologue))**

**Prologue**

It was in celebration that the war between the Kingdom of Airyglyph and the Kingdom of Aquios had ended finally after long years of strife and death. A dance party was held in the Kingdom of Aquios's audience chambers where noble ladies and gentlemen, officers and warlords were an honored guest, no matter who they were, no matter if they were past enemies. But the most honored were the people that helped made the war end, people from other worlds.

But this was where our story really begins, right here in this dance party.

When she was released from having to dance with one of the noblemen, Nevelle's daughter, Nel Zelpher, Nel walked with quick feline grace to one of the kingdom's many balconies to get some fresh air.

And that was where she met _him _again.

His form was tall, composed, wearing a neatly tailored black suit that had fit his gauntlet arm through a clean-cut hole. His hair was black, but the tips of his silky mane were colored blonde for reasons unknown, two long braids connected at the back of his head in small metal cuffs, leaving two tufts of blonde hair at the end. Upon sensing her arrival, he turned to face her.

Albel Nox, or rather, Albel the Wicked was his name. He was known for his sheer cruelty and bloodlust for battle and death, and they had quarreled several times, only ending up in Nel escaping when things got close to worse, even though she really wanted to dig her blade into his gut. But now that the war was over, and the possible rumors of the king of Airyglyph and the queen of Aquios were to be wed thrust all feelings and thoughts like that out, yet she still felt a degree of dislike towards him, and she was sure he felt the same to her.

But here he stood before her, a smug and somewhat, _alluring_ smirk on his face. The first time she saw him, she thought he had a beautiful face, yet it seemed to have been carved from the coldest of ice, a tall, slender, but still a bit muscular body that made women flutter when he was wearing his usual attire of tight, wine-colored clothes, and ruby red eyes that seemed to pierce anything, even someone's mind. At first, she didn't know that he was Albel the Wicked before he found her one time and they fought.

He arched a neatly trimmed black eyebrow up at the sight of her. "Zelpher," he murmured in a deep, cultured voice that had a husky rough edge to it that had Nel slightly shiver at the sound of it. "My, my, you do look stunning today…"

"Nox," she replied, bowing her head slightly, looking up to find he did the same. "And you look…" she paused, looking up at him from head to toe. She absently tucked a stray lock of magenta-colored hair. Nel didn't know why, she just felt slightly awkward to be in Albel's presence, and not start throwing weapons at each other. Maybe, she thought, he was more civilized than she realized.

"And I look what, Zelpher? Hmm?" he crooned, suddenly in front of Nel, causing her to jump slightly at how close their bodies were. He raised a clawed hand, lightly stroking the talons against her cheek as to not inflict minor cuts on her pretty face. For some reason, she didn't shirk away from his touch.

Her mind couldn't quite come up with an answer, since it seemed to be busy with the close proximity between her and Albel. Nel closed her eyes and said, "You look… Normal…" she replied after a while.

He stared at her for a few moments, as if he didn't expect such an answer like that, before he chuckled softly to himself, causing a slight tinge to creep up to Nel's cheeks.

"What's so funny, Nox?" she asked rather hotly.

Albel regained his composure, waving his good arm around. "Oh, nothing, Zelpher. Nothing at all…"

Nel frowned slightly at him, annoyance sparking within her before she shook her head. "Anyway… Why are you out here, instead of dancing with someone, Nox?" she asked curiously, changing the subject, seeing as how Albel wouldn't give her a straight answer.

"Most of the women bored me to tears, fool," he replied slowly, using the nickname he called to her when they were enemies. Then, that same smirk tugged at his lips before he held up one of her hands in his. "But now that you mention it, do you want to dance?"

Nel was actually surprised to hear that from him. Him? Albel the Wicked knows how to dance? Not bothering to wait for a response from the Crimson Blade warrior, Albel began to drag her unto the dance floor, turning a few heads when they passed, just when a soothing, sensual tune flowed through the room.

When they found an open spot, Albel let her stand straight and stare at his captivating crimson depths, and she felt a psychic tendril within her mind, a phantom touch until the captain of the Black Brigade placed her into his arms, and before she knew it, they were dancing.

Now, normally, had it been another man that would forcefully have her dance with him, Nel would've smacked the man. But with Albel… well, certainly with Albel, she'd have her dagger in her hand _when _she smacked him. Yet she didn't, since it wouldn't have fit the occasion, and she felt… _okay_, with dancing with him. Maybe it was a first try at being civil with his new…_allies_, it seemed.

Or, he was just downright bored.

They moved with grace, mostly because Albel was coaxing her into blending with him before she started to go into the same rhythm, and she thought of nothing but the man with whom she was dancing with, the world suddenly turning into a colorful blur. Nel's emerald eyes faintly caught sight of men and women around them watching the two with smirks and smiles on their faces, but that ended when Albel expertly twirled her around and whirled her back in, her back now up against his hard chest.

The magenta-haired woman turned to look up at his face, feeling rather flustered after a dance like that. She didn't expect the captain would be such a good dancer. Well, then again, Albel Nox was always full of surprises…

Which he thoroughly displayed with his next choice of action.

Before she knew it, Nel's lips were pressed against soft velvet. Her eyes widened when she found out that Albel was kissing her! He was! Dear Apris, what was going on!

She tried to wrench free from his lips, but he was stronger than her, snaking both of her arms, trapping her, never leaving her lips. Finally, after long moments of struggle, Nel relaxed in his arms, and allowed the kiss to deepen in intensity.

Long, slow minutes passed between them before they parted. Albel took a quick glance at her face and laughed softly. Nel's face was beet red, and she looked like she was going to shout something at him, but was holding it back, knowing her place. Instead, she swallowed noisily, clenching her fists tightly to stop herself from pummeling him into the concrete marble.

"…. W-Well…" she began slowly, her voice strained. "…. I don't know what all… _that_ was about… But if you're plotting something, I'll—"

"You'll do what, Zelpher?" he asked, his voice a sensual caress, his ruby red eyes glinting with something raw, dangerous, but what scared her to see was the fierce hunger for something… maybe _someone_. "I don't think, in this situation, that you're in a position to make threats."

"Why you—"

He laughed; before he dipped his head down to place a kiss upon her lips again.

This time, she made no move to stop him.

**((scene change))**

The magenta-haired woman woke with a start, jerking up from her bed. Nel whirled her head around, one dagger out of her hand. She relaxed slightly, noticing that no one was in the room she rented in Peterny for the night. Slowly, she sheathed the dagger back, placing it on her lap. Nel's emerald-colored eyes trailed over to the window next to her, the moonlight creeping through the blinds, adding little light into the room. Sighing, she placed a hand on her forehead, settling back on the bed.

Memories of her dream flooded into her mind, and she felt her hands clamp into tight fists. Now she felt ready to tear something into shreds, but years of self-restraint held her back. Nel just… felt angry that Albel still pervaded her mind, even in her dreams. It had been two years since she and Albel parted ways. Or more likely, _she_ was the one that walked out after finding out what he really _was._

_Creature of the night…_

Nel shuddered, turning to her side. The lies, the dominance, and the power he held over her… She hated him for it. He used her, thought of her as nothing more than an object, and toying with her emotions. Nel gripped the dagger in her hand tightly so that her nails dug into the hard wood.

… _Vampire…_

What made her hate him more was that whenever she thought of him, sensations would begin to play inside her body, faintly feeling phantom touches of where he used to caress when she was in his bed. On the battlefield, Nel would have this determined gleam in her eyes, obviously showing that she wouldn't lose to her opponent. Maybe she should've gutted Albel the Wicked when she fought him once, just kept on fighting him before the war ended, then she could justify that she committed no crime in killing him for the sake of ending the war.

But no, instinct told her to run when things got sticky, unfortunately. Right now, she just needed… to get away from it all, promising that if he were in one town, she would be in another, further away from him. She wanted to get stronger, so that one day, when they did encounter again, she'd plunge her dagger into his chest. But right now, Nel didn't want to see him again, for if she did…

Letting out an exasperated sigh, realizing that sleep was a luxury Nel couldn't afford now, she threw the covers aside and began packing the small amount of things she brought for her journey.

Because at night, she learned, vampires were most active.

**((scene change))**

Clair Lasbard sat on her desk in the conference room in one of the largest houses in Aquaria, sipping a cup of coffee. Now, one would be asleep when it was past midnight, but something kept Clair up (besides the coffee) for some mysterious reason, and something made her feel like something wrong was soon to come.

She felt that something dark, powerful and dangerous was coming her way. But she didn't know why, and it was nagging on her nerves, and she knew that this would leave her in a terrible headache in the morning if she didn't get sleep, although she did felt one coming on now.

Then, door burst in, startling her, and Tynave and Farleen walked in. For a moment, Clair nearly spilled the coffee all over her when the door opened. Deciding not to tempt fate on that matter, she carefully placed the cup on thetable and asked, "Tynave, Farleen, what are you doing so late at night?" But a voice on her mind said, '_Look who's talking_…' Then she remembered that she assigned the two women on guard duty, which meant that….

Clair noticed that they were a few feet above the ground. Startled she stood up from her seat, just when they were dropped on the ground, and a figure in a dark hooded cloak, stepped over them.

Alarmed, the gray-haired Aquarian woman shouted at the hooded figure, "Who are you! What have you done to Tynave and Farleen!"

The figure chuckled, sounding oddly familiar before he spoke, "Don't worry, Clair, they're not dead, which you should be grateful that I spared the worms." He replied in a venomous hiss.

'_That voice… It can't be…!_' Claire thought, realizing who the cloaked man was.

"Albel the Wicked!" Clair called out to him. "What are you doing here? Have you forgotten that a peace treaty between Airyglyph and Aquios was made two years ago? Are you trying to jeopardize that trust and create another war!"

"I know that, you foolish wench," he spat nastily at her, his crimson orbs peering at her through the shadowed veil that hid his face. "As much as the prospect of creating another war is tempting, I don't care much for that now. You see, I'm looking for a certain Crimson Blade maiden, and she's successfully eluded me… So, if you don't want this whole rundown town to be painted with blood, I suggest you tell me where Nel Zelpher is…"

**((end prologue))**

Well, there you go. Good? Bad? Shouldn't continue? Tell me, and if you don't, KINDLY tell me that you don't. There is the term called constructive criticism, and flaming is not allowed in my book. So, click on that little button down there and review!


	2. Chapter 1

**Authoress Notes:** Well, hello again, folks! I'm truly sorry for the long wait for an update on this! I was busy, and I had a rough time plotting the rest of this story out! Let's just say it'll get complicated little by little, but hey, we all _love _complications, don't we? Anyway, enough of my babble, please enjoy the second chapter!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own SO3. It belongs to SquareEnix/Tri-Ace/Ubi-Soft.

**Pairings: AlbelxNel**, FaytxSophia, CliffxMirage, and others, if you want.

**Plot/Summary: **

((AU Darkfic)) It started out with a kiss, which led to something more. How did it end up like this? But when she found out what he really was, she ran, but she'll soon find out that the Wicked never lets what is his get away. Ever. AlbelNel

**Poison Allure**

**By: xKuroSeraphimx**

**((start chapter))**

**Chapter 1**

'… _Hmph. What a night this turned out to be…_'

Was what Albel Nox thought as he took a sip of some thick, red beverage as he sat in a far corner in Peterny's only bar. Next to him, several dead bodies lay in a pool of blood on the floor, and the other occupants in the building didn't even seem to care that a murder had just occurred before them, or, they just didn't want to touch upon the situation, considering how quick and merciless Albel took them down in a flash for their drunken idiocy in annoying him.

A cruel smirk crossed his features. Smart people, he thought. He didn't want to be trifled with now, considering that his prize had once again, eluded from his grasp. In fact, he would have gone back to Arias and massacre the poor town, thinking that Clair lied to him, had he not caught a whiff of Nel Zelpher's faint scent among the masses of these maggots around him. He could hear the low hum of his prosthetic metal claw arm as he flexed its talons, a slight tingle in him, wanting to tear flesh from bone again.

Now, he wondered if he should curse his luck or thank it, for a scantily clad woman sauntered up to him with a look of lust in her brown eyes that were heavily powdered with make up.

Stupid bitch.

"My, my… So beautiful you are, covering yourself in blood… You look absolutely delicious…" she crooned, edging closer to him.

Was the woman blind or just plain stupid to see that there was _no _splotch of blood on him? Why would he even let the blood of filthy maggots such as these taint him? No, he wanted another's blood, to fill his need, to coat himself in it…. The hunger within him caused the cruel smirk on his face to curve into brutal, ice-cold smile, which the woman that tried to seduce him couldn't see for the shadows, concealed it.

To kill slowly, or not to kill slowly… That was the question… 

The woman's eyes trailed across his chest that was seen through the gap of his open cloak, and then wandered down to his groin. "You remind me of a cat… All silky skin that hid a dangerous sense of power…" she continued.

A cat? How foolish. Then again, a savage predator would have suited him better. His body, of course, was a weapon and he kept his favorite weapons well honed. In fact, if this bitch wanted to see claws, he'd be delighted to show her _his own_ claws; five fine metal ones in fact.

"So, sugar, why don't you come up with me to my private room and I'll show you how—"

The seductive look on the woman's face immediately turned to that of pain and horror as Albel's good arm crushed her wrist that tried to touch him, feeling the long nails pierce through her skin, allowing blood to pour down on the stone floor, and even though the scent of more blood being spilled on the floor raised his hunger, it didn't excite him like the scent of Nel's blood. No, nothing compared to hers.

And he craved it.

The smile on his face widened slightly as he heard the sound of bone being crushed, the shriek of pain that emitted from the bitch's mouth, causing the whole bar to go silent as he broke her entire arm in a flash, yet still, he did not let go.

"You'll show me what, hmm?" he asked too softly, digging his nails deeply into the woman's flesh. "Your grotesque body of a woman? No, no. I don't accept it. Your body does not fit my tastes… Heh… And it never will…"

Next, he crushed her entire wrist into a bloody pulp, enjoying the sound of muscle and bone mixing together in a meaty squish, allowing several points of the broken bones to break through the thin membrane of her skin.

Even through the pain, she managed to say, "You… You cruel bastard…"

Her answer was a high and cold laugh, chilling everyone who heard it to the bone. "You think I'm cruel, whore? Well, in that aspect, you're quite right. Even now with your mangled arm, your body is no more fit than crow bait." He hissed softly before he threw her away from him, much like throwing a ragged, broken doll.

Sobbing was the only sound that was heard as Albel resumed drinking his beverage while the other men and women continued to stare at the pitiful, crying woman that sat against the bar table in shame. Then the sound of the door opening broke through and eventually, conversation was brought back to life.

Albel heard the sound of thick boots approaching him in a sort of carefree, leisurely manner before it stopped short and the figure began to gaze down at the corpses that laid down next the dark blonde-haired general who continued to drink without a care.

A sharp, slow whistle was heard. "Sca-ree…" the blonde-haired man murmured in awe before moving among the bodies to sit in the chair across from the Captain of the Black Brigade.

"You're late," was what Albel said before taking a small sip of the red liquid, his voice a mixture of annoyance and anger.

"Heh. Sorry man got a little sidetracked on the way here. You know, the usual. Federation's been up my ass for a while; it was hard to get them off my back. So anyway…"

"Cliff…" Albel warned making sure the blonde muscle man got the hint that he didn't have time to dawdle.

"Right, right… Sorry." Cliff Fittir said quickly, not wanting to get on Albel's bad side. "So… You still haven't found her yet?"

Albel's response was a long sip of his drink, which Cliff took as a "no."

"Ah, I see… Well, like you said, Nel keeps a damn well hidden track of where she goes and what she does. I haven't been able to pinpoint where she could be right now."

The cold general raised his glass in mock salute. "Count on the best spy in Elicoor to do that." He mused amusingly.

"Hahaha… Well, that's all I'm saying. Like I said before, I'm only giving any possible information about her to you, but I'm not going to help in the abduction." Cliff said before snapping at the bartender to send a beer to his seat. The bartender looked reluctant, seeing who Cliff was sitting across from, but complied to his request.

A small smile tugged at Albel's lips. "It's not an abduction, my dear Cliff. I'm merely… _bringing_ what is mine back to me."

"Still… You're a heartless bastard sometimes." Cliff quipped just as his drink was brought to him.

The smile Albel was giving him was feral and deadly; not bothering to hide the threat beneath the gentle dispositions smiles normally gave off. "As I've heard so many times. But I'll let it slip for now…" he said softly, taking a long sip.

"So! What else do you have in store for me, Cliff?" Albel asked, setting his drink down.

Cliff grinned slightly. "Never can keep anything hidden from ya, can I? Well, the information I'm about to tell you is about… well… you-know-who…" he answered quietly before taking a swig of his beer.

Albel arched a neatly trimmed brow in interest. "Oh? What about him?"

"Word's going around among the demons that he's becoming more active lately. Hmm… Like… He's searching for something, you know? Heard it's very important." Cliff replied with a goofball smirk on his face.

The dark-haired Glyphian let out an arrogant snort. "Why would that bastard seek out anything? He can get what he wants, when he wants it. But let me guess, the suspicious thing about it is that he's keeping quiet, right?" he questioned, grinning as he read a part of what Cliff's mind had in store for him.

"Hey, would you cut that out? It's freaky. Anyway, yeah, 'cause, you know that sort of guy. He's a demon of course, although, he's a special one, but that doesn't remove the fact that demons like to go out with a bang. We don't know what it is, it's all hush-hush." The blonde-haired Klausian whispered.

"Hmph. I wonder how you get this sort of information anyway." Albel wondered, crossing his arms, clearly showing his gauntlet.

Cliff grinned. "Hey, when it comes to gathering information, Mirage knows how to get it, even if she has to slap a few demons around." He stated proudly.

"Anything else?"

"Hmm… I've heard that there's this rumor going around that he has a child. Kind of bizarre, don't you think?"

"A child? Who in the seven hells would ever want to sleep with that monster?" Albel asked incredulously.

"Hard to believe, eh? But then again, last I checked, that _monster_ was the one who changed you into what you are, am I correct?" Cliff said, winking at Albel who remained silent at his question.

A fierce glare was his harsh answer.

Cliff raised his hands in defense. "Hey man, I'm just joking, I'm just joking… No need to take it seriously…" he chided lightly.

"And? What of the mother?"

"The mother? Oh, heard she died at childbirth. But then there's this different rumor going around that the child was stillborn, and that the mother's still alive, only she's been able to escape him. There's so many rumors, Al, that I don't think that we should trust any of them…"

"Hmm…"

"So," Cliff took a large gulp of his beer before setting it back down on the table. "I was wondering… I know that the guy hates you because you defied him after he turned you into what you are now… So what if he decides to target what you're after, hmm? You know, just to get back at you?"

Albel bared his inch-long teeth in a feral smile, a dangerous gleam in his eyes as a dark thought caressed his mind.

"If Romero decides to touch what is mine, Cliff? Then I'll hunt down every single demon that works for him and have their heads along with his, decorate the halls of Airyglyph castle…"

Cliff whistled in awe. "Sca-ree… Well… I wish you could go on with your search so that we can get this over with, but ol' man Woltar's called for you back in Kirlsa. He says he wants to talk to you."

Albel narrowed his wine-colored eyes at the Klausian and scowled before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Fine… But if you hear anything about Romero, get the information before you kill the demon, hmm?"

Cliff's smile was cold and merciless. "Heh. Don't worry, Al. I'll make sure to let the bastards scream…"

**((scene change))**

Nel Zelpher reached the entrance to the Chapel in the Palace of Aquaria, staring down the open gates in a sort of forlorn expression worn on her face. For now, she was safe, she thought, but for how long, she didn't know.

It was all just a matter of time.

Nel shook her head and walked in, her footsteps light and easy. After all, it was still the time of twilight, and any sound that happened at this time of night would easily echo among the castle's marble and stonewalls. She stared at the statue of Apris that stood high upon the altar, raising a mighty hand to the heavens above. Then she wondered that, even throughout the many sins and mistakes she committed during her life, would she ascend to the heavens when she died?

Yes, no, maybe so?

The red-haired Crimson Blade leader snorted at the playful thought. Even now, in her situation, she still found the time to joke around a few things in life.

"Ah, Nel! Good to see you again!" called a rough, masculine voice from behind.

Nel turned to face Adray Lasbard, the father of Clair Lasbard. The ex-Crimson Blade began to walk to her and let a large, burly arm rest on her shoulders, much like a father would in trying to comfort his child.

"Heh. Good to see you too, Adray. Though, would you mind being a little quieter? It _is_ way past midnight after all." Nel said playfully, feeling rather safer with Adray.

"Oh, all right. But seriously! It has been a couple of months since I last saw you, and it has been over two years since the occupants of this castle have seen you. I would think that this is a rather joyous occasion indeed." Adray replied, patting Nel on the back.

Nel slightly cringed at how hard the old swordsman was patting her (more like hitting her) back but said nothing. After he was done with his fatherly affection, she looked up at him and asked, "Adray? Umm… Where is…?"

"Up in Elena's room. Come now, it has also been a while since the little rascal's seen your face too!" With that, Adray led the female redhead up the western stairs and down the hall to Elena's room.

Knocking on the side of the open door to announce that they were coming in, Nel and Adray poked their heads in the room to see Elena Frahm at her desk, holding a bundle in her arms before the Professor herself looked up and smiled brightly at the two and stood up from her seat, then began walking to them.

"Oh my! Nel! It's been so long since I've seen you! Wow… You've really grown in the last few years…" Elena said, making a sweeping check over the younger woman.

Nel scratched her head. "Oh Elena. I haven't changed _that _much, but I'm glad to see that you yourself is okay. I'm sorry that it's been so long, but… I have my reasons." She replied sort of shyly.

Elena shook her head. "Never mind that. Here. When Adray came back in with this little joy, I was surprised to find out about his origins." She said, handing Nel the bundle. "To tell you the truth, he was quite a handful, but he's a sweet lad, I mostly see you inside of him, Nel."

Nel smiled at the professor before gazing at the sleeping baby she held in her arms before brushing her lips against the baby's forehead.

'_My son… My dear son Kratos…_' she thought fondly as her baby boy stirred slightly, and opened his large eyes to reveal the color of emerald.

**((end chapter))**

Well… here you go! I hope that you enjoyed it, and if you didn't like the name of Nel's son… Umm… I'm sorry? I just had the name in my head for a while, and so, I thought it would be a nice name… I guess . Anyway, sorry for the long update, and if you want the next chapter, click on that button down there and review! Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

**Authoress Notes: **Well, here's the third installment to this fic. Thank you to all the people who've read this! Hopefully you guys will stick to the end of this fic, as I promise that I'll make it better (and on the side of difficulty, more complex). As such, please enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own SO3. It belongs to SquareEnix/Tri-Ace/Ubi-Soft.

**Pairings: AlbelxNel**, FaytxSophia, CliffxMirage, and others, if you want.

**Plot/Summary: **

((AU Darkfic)) It started out with a kiss, which led to something more. How did it end up like this? But when she found out what he really was, she ran, but she'll soon find out that the Wicked never lets what is his get away. Ever. AlbelNel

**Poison Allure**

**By: xKuroSeraphimx**

**((start chapter))**

**Chapter 2**

_The two orbs of Elicoor's moons floated high in the sky, as the night was the filled with the dots of twinkling lights. Transparent clouds hung overhead in a leisurely manner, threatening to cover the two moon's waning light on the world as a cold, crisp wind of Airyglyph's winter blew by._

_Nel Zelpher sat on the roof of one of Airyglyph's inns, having her legs brought up to her chest so to rest her chin on top of her knees. What brought her to Airyglyph's areas was to deliver a message to their new ally, specifically the King, about their share of crops for the winter that had fell upon them. A menial task, indeed, but ever since the war ended, she wasn't needed to be used as a weapon against her once former enemy. Only when she needed to use weapons (either wooden or dull) was to help train the military personnel Aquaria had, and to scout out for any new trainees._

_A night like this was becoming hard to come by these days, she mused. Even though the war did end, Nel had plenty to work and fuss about for her country, namely the rising suspicions of Peterny's actions. Either that, or it was to work hours upon hours sparring with trainees, avoid Adray Lasbard at all costs, help his daughter, Clair Lasbard with reports and with rebuilding Arias, and to check how things were going on with the Sanmite Republic or Airyglyph._

_Nel sighed, letting her breath turn into a white puff of air. Mostly her time was spent in helping Arias to be rebuilt. It was going slow, but at least it was still progressing. Her people's morale was boosting up a bit, but some still felt sort of distant to Airyglyph's people as some were sent to also help, but other than that, they realized personal feelings wouldn't get them so far and decided to leave the situation as is._

_Although the King himself granted her a room in the Palace, she politely declined his offer. It wasn't that she didn't want to be in his presence for her entire stay, it was just the way that his servants were looking at her rather distastefully. She didn't mind it as she came over to the city, but being a spy, and a cautious one at that, she wouldn't want to have been killed in her sleep. That wasn't a nice way to die, and also, she wasn't sure if she could face…_

"_Hmph. Thought I'd find you here, woman." Said a deep and familiar voice behind her._

_Nel closed her eyes, knowing full well whom that voice belonged to._

_Albel Nox strode up to her; the sound of his boots thumping the hard roof beneath him was any indication that he was coming towards the Aquarian. Once she felt that he was beside her, Nel looked up to find Albel in his long winter cloak before taking a seat next her left. Letting out a sigh, Nel turned her gaze back to the start-lit sky, trying her best to ignore his lingering gaze on her face._

"_Hello to you too, Nox." She said in rather flatly. The red-haired young woman couldn't help but feel slightly nervous around the Glyphian Captain. Ever since his stunt of kissing her during the celebration party in Aquios's audience chambers a few days ago, she wasn't able to look at him in the eye without blushing. Thankfully, the few days that set them apart helped got her wits back together. She didn't want to look like some schoolgirl that had a crush on an arrogant, annoying, self-centered—_

"_Looks like you're doing well yourself, Zelpher." He murmured quietly in response._

… _Okay, scratch that. But Nel Zelpher wasn't one to admit to such childish feelings. She knew she'd get it off… somehow._

"_Why the silent treatment? Still worked up about that kiss I gave you the other day?" he asked teasingly._

_Dammit, if the war were still going on, she'd gut him. Inhaling a sharp intake of breath, she replied, "A little…" What? So she had to be honest. Lying to someone who had the word "Wicked" in his name was likely to be caught being dishonest anyway. Plus, Albel had this distinct way of getting some things out her, which only added to the gauge of annoyance she had for him._

_He snorted haughtily in response. Then a grin plastered itself on his face before he said, "You know you liked it, I can tell."_

_Nel tightly closed her eyes and counted to ten backwards. Twice._

_Sensing that her urge to kill him was rising, Albel shifted the topic to a lighter note. "So, Zelpher, taking on the task of royal messenger? What, have you gone so bored on your end that you've decided to take on trivial tasks such as that? Hmph! Some soldier you are." He said while shaking his head, much like a mentor that was disappointed in his student._

_Nel bit her tongue to prevent herself from phrasing out a colorful sentence that would have banned her from the Church of Apris had she said it in front of any of the priests or devoted followers. Instead, she exercised full restraint on both her words and hands. She really didn't want to stain her father's swords right after she got it synthesized in a workshop nearby._

"_Well, what about you? Now that Vox is dead, you were asked to take both the role of being Captain to the Dragon Brigade and Black. But I hear that they're still lax on their basic performances, and I'm sure that reflects upon the one who commands them." Nel bit back._

_Albel raised a thin brow up at her before chuckling softly to himself. "Much to the point, I'm still considering on even 'taking' up the role of being the new Captain of the Dragon Brigade. I still am supervising their progress, but that does not make me feel obligated to help them. At least until I say yes." He smirked at her, a chilling smile that made her shiver and not because of the biting cold Airyglyph gave to its citizens. No, it was that same brutal smile that curved up his lips when he was scheming something or when he was…_

_Nel shook her head. She needed to get away fast._

_Before she could even move away from her spot, he shot an arm out to her, making her balance precariously on the roof and threatening to make her fall before he pulled her close to his side. Nel opened her mouth to protest before he used the top of his gauntleted hand to push her chin up and place a chaste kiss upon her lips, slipping his tongue in the recesses of her mouth to taste her. He pulled away before she could even respond back and looked at her now flushed face. Albel let out a satisfied chuckle as Nel fisted her hand tighter on his cloak, tugging at it slightly to put his intention back into focus._

_Once he finally let out his amused chortles, he stared back with crimson-colored eyes that were now alight with a strange glint in them. Nel flushed at the close proximity between them, but more importantly, the kiss that he had just given her. She was beginning to wonder why she hadn't killed him yet for doing this to her, but settled in taking her time to plot her revenge._

"_Ass," she snapped once Nel had gotten back much of her voice to snarl at him._

_Albel brushed the talons of his gauntleted arm across her cheek, letting her skin feel the cold sharpness of his claws. Nel scooted her face away from them, knowing that the claws were sharp enough to tear her to bloody shreds if he ever so wished to. She knew, of course, she had seen many a battle in where he had used his left arm to get back at his opponent if they had, by sheer luck, avoided the receiving end of his katana._

"_You have to give me credit for trying, Zelpher." He replied huskily in her ear. She wanted to move away from him, but he took pride in knowing that he was much stronger than her. Yet that didn't stop her from ever thinking of placing one of her daggers into something vital of his._

_She glared at him, but gave up on trying to escape the grasp around her waist. At least Albel had moved his left arm away from her face. Nel had heard rumors of how he had gotten the left arm as a weapon anyway. But rumors were rumors, and the information obtained from them was not always true. Concerning Albel the Wicked, she chose not to believe them. She was a spy of course, but she always wanted to get the facts straight before she deemed it being the truth._

_The red-haired Aquarian was about to ask about his arm, but he beat her to it. "So… How long are you going to do your job?" he asked all of a sudden._

_A frown knit her brows together as she stared at him with a puzzled expression. He sighed and said, "I meant, how long are you going to be a Crimson Blade, fool."_

_The question itself deepened the frown that appeared on her face. How long, he asked? It was rather a rhetorical question in some aspects, considering that Nel was always loyal to her country, and would be there when Her Majesty wanted her to be in her presence. Also, Nel wanted to follow in her father's footsteps in serving her country, knowing that people had expected of her to take after Nevelle._

_Nel shrugged, despite herself. "As long as it takes, until the day I die, I guess." She replied slowly._

_Albel stared at her through the corner of his eyes. "Really? Haven't you always considered to just… get away from the stress that your job gives you?" he questioned._

_Truth be told, she had considered that aspect several times, but her loyalty and determination always stomped it down. "Several times… But I always reminded myself that Her Majesty needs me, as well as my country." She paused as a thought came to her. "Why do you ask, Nox?"_

_The black blond-tipped-haired Glyphian turned his gaze away to stare at the two moons that illuminated the city below. His bangs shielded his eyes from view, even as the wind whipped through his hair._

_It was a while of silence before he spoke, "Time…"_

_Nel arched an eyebrow up at his answer. Squirming a bit in his hold, she also stared at the sky._

"_Right… But you know, Albel, Time chases after all of us. We'll just have to live life to the fullest until our time of eternal rest shall come, you know..." She stated softly, unaware of Albel's darkened expression at her words. Letting out a rather exasperated sigh, he tightened his hold on her waist. He spoke, but Nel had to strain her ears to hear him clearly._

"… _I wouldn't know…"_

**((scene change))**

Nel Zelpher was awoken to the present by her son's insistent tugging on her hair. Kratos made it a habit to tug at hair that was within reach of his small arms, eliciting painful hisses or yelps from the one he was tugging. Smiling despite herself, she reached for her son's hands that had gotten a hold of the strands that accented her face, and successfully freed them from Kratos's grasp.

"Now, that's not a nice way to get someone's attention there, Kratos." She scolded lightly. Kratos merely giggled and let his small hands pat her face.

"Ma has… pretty hair…" Kratos complimented with glee.

"Why thank you. Now, you should be asleep at this time of hour." Nel pointed out. At the mention of sleeping, Kratos shook his head vehemently and wound his arms around her neck, wailing about not wanting to go to sleep. Sighing, Nel calmed her son down and looked out of the window. It was still dark, but out in the horizon, her deep forest-colored eyes caught sight of the shade of a purple tinge. Turning her gaze away from her window, she tickled Kratos, causing him to squeal and try to squirm away from her touch.

Nel laughed softly before placing the small boy on her thighs again. As she began to make Kratos clap his hands together, the red-haired woman made a mental note to have an audience with Her Majesty, although, Adray must have already told Her that she was already here. Though, Nel had a slight inkling that her return would be welcoming, but that entailed that she might get a very familiar rebuking from Magistrate Lasselle. Honestly, he was such an—

"… Ass…"

Whoa. Wait. Rewind and freeze for a moment!

Nel blinked and looked at her son with wide eyes. "Wait… Kratos, what did you say? And who taught you?"

Since Kratos still had the mind of a baby, she couldn't be mad her son now for saying such a word. Yet Nel still wanted to know where Kratos could have heard the bad word. "Ass… Grandpa Adray… Called Lassie an… ass!" He giggled innocently and proceeded to tug on Nel's hair.

Oh… Wait until she got to Adray in the morning…

**((scene change))**

Albel Nox sat on the roof of Woltar's mansion, currently in his favorite sitting position, letting his crimson-colored eyes to stare at the sky that was beginning to lighten up. He let out an exasperated sigh, remembering why Woltar had called him back to Kirlsa. He should've known that it was another biting lecture from the old coot. Really, how long was it going to be until Woltar would stop treating him as some naïve boy that needed to be reprimanded every so often?

He scoffed. It would be a while before the old general would croak. Then again, Albel did owe him a lot more than he thought he knew. But that still didn't help the fact that Woltar was growing old, and that Albel would be left to take also take care of the things Woltar would leave behind.

But that would be then. Albel had to focus on _now_.

That left the Glyphian to remember the words that were spoken to him long ago, causing the scowl on his face to make him appear more violent than he let on.

"_Time chases after all of us…_"

Well, that's what that wench wanted to believe. Of course, Albel would never be able to experience the flow of time again, thanks to that damned demon king named Romero. Sure, his state of being a vampire gave him more powers than he thought, but that didn't help the fact that it took away even the simplest things that he enjoyed while he was a human. Not to mention, Woltar's ageing state reminded that Albel would be left to endure the painful realizations that the people that he… well, _wanted_ to stay alive would crumble away eventually. Either by time, or death in battle, but it was mostly time that snuffed away mortal souls.

The image of a certain red-haired Aquarian woman's face appeared in his mind. Yes, she would fade as well.

Hmph. Not if he could help it.

'_I don't care what I'll have to do… She's mine, and she'll STAY mine…_'

**((end chapter))**

Well, I hope that you enjoyed it! Reviews are very welcome. If I get more than twenty reviews I'll update in half the time it takes me to update the next. Promise! So if you liked the chapter, and want the next, click on that button down there and review! See ya!


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